


Red Flags

by agrajag



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-21
Updated: 2017-05-21
Packaged: 2018-11-03 09:24:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,770
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10964373
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/agrajag/pseuds/agrajag
Summary: "I know. I mean, you could do something else for the league, then, if you want," Ransom said. "Like, ref."Holster snorted. "Me? A ref?""I think you'd make a great referee," Chowder chimed in from the living room."Thanks Chowder," Holster and Ransom both shouted back."I guess it's not a half bad idea and I'm not just saying that because of Chowder," Holster said. He gave Ransom's hand a squeeze. "I'll think about it."





	Red Flags

**Author's Note:**

> This was inspired by a post made by [halfabreath](http://www.halfabreath.tumblr.com) on tumblr, though I went more in the direction of Holster interacting with the people he knows in the NHL with some sassiness thrown in the mix.
> 
> Also, despite going to how many hockey games in my lifetime, I have no real idea how it works? And then things kept getting more ridiculous as I was writing, so take all of this with a grain of salt. Lol.
> 
> Plus it also got sappy? I'm not sorry.

If Holster was being completely honest, the idea wouldn't have occurred to him if it hadn't been for Ransom. He just figured he'd see if he got drafted, and if he didn't, well. It wasn't like it would be the end of the world. Even if it seemed like everyone - his team, his family, his adviser - expected him to go on and play for the NHL. Don't get him wrong, either. He loved hockey. Big duh. But as his senior year started passing faster then he could ever have imagined, and the ring box in the back of his sock drawer gathered dust until Niagara Falls, and he honestly started thinking about his future... He wanted something safer. He didn't want his future kids to have to worry about Dad. Even if Papa could fix him up.

And now he was _really_ getting ahead of himself.

Holster knew he should have been brain storming alternative career options long ago, and he knew it wasn't an excuse to say he'd been thrown for a loop when Ransom said he wanted to take a year off before going to medical school, but he did end up spending a few weeks trying to convince Ransom to think about what he was doing. Which he eventually admitted to himself that he was being extremely hypocritical. Then one night as they were discussing the dreaded "after graduation" again, Ransom asked Holster what his back up plan was.

"A back up plan?"

"Not that I don't think you'll get drafted," Ransom said quickly. "It's just good to be safe."

"No, I know that," Holster said, as he draped himself on the kitchen table. His hands dangled over the edge and Ransom laced their fingers together. "I just haven't thought about it much. Like, hockey's basically become my life, you know?"

"I know. I mean, you could do something else for the league, then, if you want. Like, ref."

Holster snorted. "Me? A ref?"

"I think you'd make a great referee," Chowder chimed in from the living room.

"Thanks Chowder," Holster and Ransom both shouted back.

"I guess it's not a half bad idea and I'm not just saying that because of Chowder," Holster said. He gave Ransom's hand a squeeze. "I'll think about it."

Holster did more than think about it. It became the only thing on his mind. A couple days after that conversation in the kitchen, he asked Ransom to help him make an Excel sheet with the pros and cons of the job which was quickly followed by another Excel sheet with referee jobs that would keep him close to Ransom when, or if, he decided to go to medical school. He started seriously looking into it before scouts began to hang around Faber and, well, one thing led to another and Holster turned down all the offers he got to play and became a referee.

The one thing during all the planning that Holster hadn't taken into consideration was how many people he knew in the NHL.

Sure, at first, he technically only knew Jack. Meeting Kent Parson once at a college party didn't really count. Yet, at the first Aces game Holster refereed for, Kent started talking to him like they were old friends.

"Holster! My man! Jack told me you became a ref," Kent said as he crushed Holster with a hug. They were supposed to be doing the coin toss. "I gotta say it's a shame you aren't playing, but good news for me, huh? Now, I know it's been awhile, but you should totally go easy on me since your crew destroyed me at Flip Cup."

Holster wasn't sure if he should laugh or tell him to fuck off.

He settled for doing his job.

"That was years ago. Just fuckin' call it, Parse."

The captain of the other team snickered behind his hand.

Holster was nervous the first couple of times he refereed for Falconers' games, but he found it was actually pretty easy for him to be impartial. Being co-captain with Ransom in their senior definitely helped with that. He knew he didn't have to worry about giving Jack special treatment the first time he had to flag him for an illegal check. Jack started at Holster for a couple moments before he started laughing. The other players looked around at each other to see if anyone else was in on whatever the joke was.

"You're doing a good job Holster," Jack said as he patted Holster's back.

"Hey now. Don't act all captain-y on me. First off, you're not my captain anymore, bro. And second of all, that's not getting you out of trouble mister."

The entire thing had been caught on camera. As soon as the video made it to the internet, Shitty sent it to the SMH group chat and "that's not getting you out of trouble mister" became an inside meme within minutes, with Bitty as the main offender, to no one's surprise. Later in the week, when Holster had forgotten to do the dishes, and was kissing Ransom's neck as he apologized, he froze when Ransom said, "That's not getting you out of trouble mister" as he swatted Holster with the towel.

"Oh my God, I hate you so much," Holster groaned.

"Of course, babe. That's why you married me."

"Mmhmm. Of course, Rans. That's exactly why."

The first two years, Holster had his hands full with Jack and Parse, but he handled it professionally as he had been. But then his beloved frogs graduated and Chowder and Dex both got drafted. The group chat blew up the day Chowder was able to officially say he was the new goalie for the Sharks. Bitty sent at least twenty crying emojis before sending, in all caps, about how proud he was of Chowder. Luckily, goalies Holster didn't have to worry about too much, so he usually gave Chowder a hug before the game and didn't talk to him again until they went for drinks afterward. Although, Holster should have known better with Chowder's temper, and soon enough he was flagging him almost every single game.

One time, it got so bad that Holster had to pull Chowder back by his jersey. "Alright. The frog is hopping mad. We get it, Chow. How 'bout you go cool off in time out."

Chowder sent Holster a string of frog emojis every day for a month after that.

Dex wasn't as bad as Chowder. It had surprised the SMH that first semester of the frogs' freshman year, but Holster was no longer surprised that Dex got into far less trouble than his best friend. That's not to say, though, that occasionally something would happen. And if Dex was in trouble, then Nursey was in trouble. That was a fact Holster had to accept as co-captain and now he had to accept it again as a referee. The only problem was... Nursey didn't play hockey anymore. The worst time was when a member of the other team started saying some pretty homophobic shit to Dex. Holster skated over right away, but still wasn't fast enough to stop Dex from decking the guy. He was pulling them apart when he heard the crowd flipping their shit. He turned around to see Nursey launching himself onto the ice and waddling over.

"Holster, get out of my way," he said. "I'm gonna make that guy regret he was ever..."

"Stop right there, Nurse," Holster shouted. "What the ever loving hell are you doing? How did you even get down here?"

"Dude, the WAGs are awesome. They know everything."

"Good for them. And good for the league. You're allowed in there now? I know you and Bitty have been fighting for that. That's awesome."

"I know, right?" Dex said, with a dopey looking smile on his face. "I'm so proud of him."

The other player looked like he was about to barf.

"I _am_ happy for you guys," Holster said. "But so help me God, Nurse, get off my fucking ice, or I'm gonna fine you, too. Scoot."

Holster did get into a teensy bit of trouble for that one, and he had to admit he did let personal feelings get in the way. He should have kicked Nursey off the ice right away, but he really was happy that he and Bitty had finally managed to take WAGs and turn it into BAGs, boyfriends and girlfriends. Bitty kept insisting it was a working title, but it kept cracking everyone up that he had to admit it was going to end up sticking whether he liked it or not. Of course, that led to terrible fans starting a movement that same sex partners would have to wear bags over their heads. Holster was already off for a couple games (okay, so maybe it was more than a teensy bit of trouble) so he decided it was a good time to take a vacation. He booked a cabin by the ocean and he and Ransom took off for a week.

"I am really happy for them," Holster said as he set up their towel on the beach.

"Me too. It's a good step in the right direction," Ransom replied. He stuck their umbrella in the sand and opened it up. "You think I could join the BAGs? Do I technically count?"

"Oh my God, stop saying BAGs," Holster said and threw himself face down onto the towel. He lifted his head to add, "But yeah. I can see what I can do. Maybe you can hang out with Nursey and Bitty for that Falconers vs Penguins game."

"That would be swawesome. Now c'mere," Ransom said. He waved the sunblock bottle at Holster. "Lemme get your back."

"Thanks babe."

Ransom started applying the sunblock. They were quiet for a moment, listening to the waves crash against the beach. It was early in the year for most beach goers, so it was relatively quiet otherwise. Holster was looking forward to a nice, relaxing week. Their lives had gotten pretty hectic. They had been trying to look into adoption the past couple of months, but hadn't even had an actual conversation about it because there was no time for it.

"Hey Rans, can you, like, believe our life?"

Ransom laughed. "Holtzy, I haven't been able to believe my life since you proposed."

"Do not make me toss sand at you," Holster threatened. Ransom snapped the elastic band of Holster's swim trunks in retaliation. "Dude, that was so cheesy. I hate you so much."

"I know. That's why you married me."

"Yeah. Exactly why, babe."


End file.
